Leopard Gecko Adaptations - II

Temperament and Handling


Leopard Geckos by nature are very calm and will usually let you handle them for short periods of time with no problems, though excessive handling can be stressful for the animal. Signs of stress whilst being handled include sudden movements and attempts to escape and seek shelter. When you pick your gecko up, it is best to approach it from the side as appose to from above as grabbing the gecko directly from above may be perceived as an attack from a predator. Some species of gecko (as well as other reptiles) have an inbuilt photo-sensory organ sensitive to light changes located in the top of the head and can trigger the instinct to flee if set off, this sensory organ (reffered to as the parietal eye), is also responsible for telling the gecko what time of year it is, i.e. whether breeding season has arrived, by measuring the number of hours of daylight in a day.

The most important thing to know about leopard geckos when you´re handling them is never grab them by their tails! They have the ability to drop their tails when they feel threatened to act as a form of diversion, this is known as caudal autonomy. As the tail is fat and a more noticeable colour than the main body of the animal in relation to the desert floor, it can often fool predators by resembling the animals’ head. The tail breaks at a crack in the geckos´ vertebra, the surrounding muscles separate neatly and instantly, a muscle will then close around the artery in the tail at the point of break to prevent haemorrhaging. The broken tail will continue to spasm, causing a distraction allowing the gecko time to escape. The tail can also regenerate in case the gecko may once again need to evade a predator, though the new tail will never resemble the original.


A Healthy Gecko


When purchasing your Leopard gecko, a healthy gecko should be bright eyed, active when approached, alert and have a fat tail (if mature) with all toes intact and no obvious skin ailments, injuries or ´odd´ behaviour such as spinning in a circle (often a sign of neurological disorders), It is important also to look out for mites or any other parasites. If the animal is lethargic and indifferent this can be a sign of serious illness. Stress related illnesses can take a long time to reveal any sign of actual illness, which at that point may be too late to correct. Signs to look out for include lack of appetite and activity, loss of muscle, loss of weight and general condition etc. If you are to buy a Leopard Gecko, I would recommend purchasing from a reputable breeder as breeders should understand the correct husbandry for Leopard Geckos thereby raising the animal correctly in accordance to its needs and requirements from the day it hatches.

Reptiles have a reputation for masking signs of illness and often the owner will not realise anything is actually wrong, this is an instinct within the animal as ill animals are more likely to be predated on, therefore it is in the best interest of the gecko to appear healthy, no matter what.

The first hint that anything is wrong with your gecko is if it were to stop eating. Anorexia is rather a common problem with Leopard Geckos which could be a symptom of a potentially serious problem such as impaction, or it may be a just a part of the natural seasonal slowdown that many Leopard geckos go through yearly. If your leopard gecko becomes anorexic it is highly advised to seek veterinary advice to determine the cause of the problem.

Other signs of ill health include kinks in the legs or tail (a sign of MBD), cloudy eyes (possibly vitamin A deficiency) Dry skin (dehydration) etc.


Shedding and Predator Evasion


Prior to shedding, the Leopard Gecko will become muted and dull. During this time the gecko will retreat to its humid hide to help loosen its old skin for shedding. In the wild the gecko would travel underground to more humid conditions to aid with its shedding.

The Leopard Gecko will eat its shed skin to prevent detection by predators, a second reason for this behaviour is to absorb any nutrients it may contain. This is a very important behaviour for an animal that lives in a desert where food may be scarce. Make sure the area around its nose and toes have completely shed. If skin is not removed it will eventually restrict blood flow and lead to loss of toes or killing of the skin and possibly infection. Any skin that has not been shed can be very carefully removed by bathing the gecko and using something like a cotton bud to rub remaining skin off taking care not to directly pull it off as you may also tear live flesh.

Leopard Geckos have a very short childhood and reach sexual maturity in a mere 10 months, as they reach maturity quickly they are able to produce offspring sooner which helps to maintain the species.

Hatchling Leopard Geckos do not have the same pattern as mature Leopard Geckos, this is because their pattern acts as a secondary defence if it fails to camouflage against predators. The banded pattern on the hatchling is designed to be difficult for predators to track as the animal runs to escape. The vivid yellow combined with the black bands may also discourage the predator as these colours in the wild are usually perceived as dangerous and are associated with poisonous creatures.

Unlike many other species of gecko, Leopard Geckos have vocal chords which they use to startle predators, also allowing them to escape.

I have already mentioned that the tail will break off to distract a predator, the gecko will also purposely draw attention to the tail and away from the body by raising the tail into the air and swaying it from side to side. This may also discourage the predator from attacking and may simply leave the gecko alone.


Communication and Sociability


Leopard Geckos communicate with each other by three different means: sound, scent and body language. As previously stated, the Leopard Gecko possesses vocal chords which it uses to make a series of clicks and squeaks, usually to communicate displeasure, fear or aggression.

Leopard Geckos also have a specialised system for effective olfaction (sense of smell). Epithelial cells line the nostrils, which are enhanced by an olfactory organ, in the palate. This organ is located just bellow the nostrils but is not directly connected. The organ is a pair of domed cavities lined with extremely sensitive epithelium that pass messages directly to the olfactory nerves. The organ is used to enhance olfaction and is called the Jacobson´s organ, sometimes reffered to as the vomeronasal organ.

As the gecko licks the air, particles carried on the tongue stimulate the Jacobson’s organ which is why you often see reptiles flicking their tongues and tasting things.

This form of communication is used by sending chemical signals to one another which tells each other information, such as their gender and sexual status i.e. if they are ready to breed.

Leopard Geckos will also use their tails as a form of communication, for example, when the tail is raised and swayed from left to right, the gecko is expressing fear, annoyance, or as a warning to stay away, though if the tail is vibrated rapidly, this can be an expression of excitement.

In the wild, Leopard Geckos show a degree of social interaction but are for the most part solitary creatures. Males are highly territorial towards other males and will fight to defend their territory to the death, females may tolerate each others company but it is not unheard of for a female to be territorial. Wild Leopard Geckos have been observed sleeping side by side, possibly for warmth, but they do not purposely seek out company.

Continued in next post...